‘I’ll believe it when I see it,’ Doug Ford says Eglinton LRT could open in February

Ontario Premier Doug Ford says the long-delayed Eglinton Crosstown LRT could open as early as February, but the TTC has yet to confirm a launch date and commuters remain doubtful.

January 9, 2026Beatriz Ferreira

Doug Ford LRT — Premier Doug Ford told reporters he is "confident" the Eglinton Crosstown LRT could open early February. (Courtesy: fordnation/X; Metrolinx)

What to know

Doug Ford says he’s “confident” the Eglinton Crosstown LRT will open in early February.
The 19-kilometre line, originally scheduled to open in 2020, has faced repeated setbacks since construction began in 2011.
While Metrolinx has completed key testing, the TTC has not confirmed an official opening date, prompting skepticism from riders online.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford says the years-delayed Eglinton Crosstown LRT could open as early as February, but commuters are still skeptical about the plan.

Speaking with reporters at an unrelated press conference, Ford said he is “confident” about a launch next month, even though an official date is yet to be announced by the TTC.

“Thank God we’re getting this thing going. It’s been a nightmare, I’m the first to admit it,” he told reporters on Thursday.

“I’m confident it’s going to get going early in February, and we’ll be there to support them any way we can.”

The 19-kilometre line includes 25 stops along Eglinton Avenue between Mount Dennis Station to Kennedy Station, and was originally set to be completed in 2020 after construction began in 2011. However, since then, the project has been delayed several times causing controversy in the city.

Online, many people are skeptical about the premier’s comments.

“I would not commit to any opening date unless I was riding the damn thing,” one Reddit user said.

“He said February, however he didn’t specify which year,” another person said.

“I’ll believe it when I see it,” a different user added.

TTC TO CONFIRM OPENING DATE

Last month, Metrolinx confirmed to Now Toronto that it had successfully completed a 30-day revenue service demonstration for the LRT, and would then be moving “toward substantial completion.”

Toronto councillor Josh Matlow urges Metrolinx for transparency as Eglinton LRT approaches end of testing period

Despite Ford’s recent comments, the TTC, which now holds full operational control of the line, has yet to confirm an official opening date.

“The TTC and Metrolinx continue to work towards a safe and reliable opening as soon as possible,” a spokesperson for the transit agency told Now Toronto on Friday.

The spokesperson did not comment on whether a February launch would be possible.

Meanwhile, Metrolinx told Now Toronto that “the Premier’s comments yesterday stand,” but did not confirm a specific date for the launch.

Last month, Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow told reporters that a more concrete plan for the Eglinton LRT could be released by the end of January.

“You will get an update at the end of January as to where the Eglinton Crosstown… is at, and we’ll be able to say more at that time,” Chow said.

‘It will be so much better,’ Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow says Finch West LRT should be faster by the end of the winter

Speaking with Now Toronto last month, the mayor also said the city is working to make sure the line is safe before opening, citing issues with Ottawa’s Confederation Line in 2019.

“It’s not ready. The train needs to be ready. It needs to be foolproof,” Chow said about the Crosstown LRT. “We need to make sure everything is safe and reliable.”